The present invention generally relates to a multipurpose game assembly which allows several games to be played. The present invention particularly relates to a table tennis assembly included in the mutipurpose game assembly.
Many games are designed to simulate various actual "real life" sports or games. For example, there are games designed to simulate the excitement and competition of an actual bowling or billiards tournament. In addition, there are games designed to simulate the excitement and competition of a hockey game, a basketball game, or a table tennis match (also referred to as ping pong).
However, the aforementioned games suffer from several drawbacks. For example, table tennis games need to be relatively small and compact so they can be easily transported and then stored in a relatively small space when not in use. However, the relatively small size of these table tennis games makes it extremely difficult to simulate the action provided by an actual table tennis match being played on a full size table. In particular, the relatively small size of the playing surface of these table tennis games necessitates that the players be a relatively short distance apart as compared to when playing table tennis on a full size table. The close proximity of the players greatly reduces the reaction time an opposing player has to react and return an "in play" ping pong ball. The reduction of reaction time causes the players to frequently miss the ping pong ball which in turn decreases the volleying. Decreasing the volleying decreases the competitive nature of the game and thus reduces its entertainment value.
One way players attempt to compensate for the aforementioned reduction in reaction time is to strike the ping pong ball with much less force so as to decrease the velocity thereof. While this strategy effectively increases the opposing player's reaction time, and thus increases the probability of a volley, it also decreases the entertainment value of the game because gingerly striking the ping pong ball tends to bore the participants. In addition, having to gingerly strike the ping pong ball does not simulate an actual table tennis match well since the participants of an actual table tennis match typically attempt to aggressively strike the ping pong ball with a relatively large amount of force.
The other aforementioned games (i.e. bowling, billiards, basketball, and hockey) also suffer from design flaws which detract from their simulation of the actual activity. In particular, bowling games do not allow a player to utilize or compensate for any spin (or "english") placed on the bowling ball. The spin utilized in actual bowling results in the bowling ball "hooking" as it travels down the bowling alley. This "hooking" adds to the excitement and strategy of actual bowling. Therefore, the inability to "hook" the bowling ball in bowling games detracts from their entertainment value. Moreover, the mechanisms used to reset the bowling pins in these bowling games tend to be awkward and inefficient.
With respect to hockey games, these games are either played too slow or the "hockey puck" tends to fly off of the playing surface which interrupts the continuity of the game and detracts from its realism. Basketball games suffer from similar drawbacks. For example, basketball games are typically not very exciting (i.e. played too slow) and their design does not allow direct competition with an opponent. Both of these design flaws detract from the fun and realism of basketball games.
Billiards games do not allow a player to put a spin (i.e. english) on a billiard ball which reduces the fun and excitement of the game. Furthermore, these games typically attach the billiard cue to the billiard table thereby reducing the realism of the game.
Furthermore, an additional problem with the above described games is that typically none of them by themselves is very versatile. Therefore, after repeatedly playing one game for a certain period of time the players tend to lose interest which shortens the game's useful "life" as an entertainment device.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.